Offal Congee
"Yes, please, it's just what we need." –Sis
Christmas has descended upon us once more, which means Sis and I are home at the same time—a rare occurrence. And to celebrate, Mom and Dad spent the weeks leading up to our visit preparing their top hitters including poached chicken, roast duck and taro, stuffed vegetables—not to mention actual Christmas dinner, which includes turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes...a.k.a. Thanksgiving Take Two. Well, in this case, Thanksgiving Take One, since we spent turkey day in Italy this year.
But let's not forget about the low-key lunches. They may not take as much time and effort to prepare, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve a shining gold star. Every bit as crave-able as the braised pork trotter and papaya for dinner are dishes like offal congee.
Typically made with pork liver and kidney in a pork broth base, the flavor is intensely earthy with a rich, palatable mineral taste. This congee is amazing, a staple in the Phan household, but it's not for everyone. Some would even say it's pretty "offal." I've had a few uninitiated taste testers and it wasn't their favorite thing, but like durian or stinky cheese, offal is an acquired taste.
Offal congee serves as a great in-between meal during the holiday season as something light, flavorful, and healthy—but you'll need a sense of adventure if this is your first time.
Prep: 15 mins + overnight brine Cook: 1.5 hours
INGREDIENTS (FOR 2)
| 1 lb pork chops, bone in | 1/2 lb pork kidney |
| 1/3 cup rice | 1 tsp sugar |
| 5 cups water | 1 tsp soy sauce |
| 2 tsp salt | 1 tsp olive oil |
| 1/2 lb pork liver | 1 tsp minced ginger |
PREPARE
1. Separate the meat from the bones. Sprinkle 1.5 tsp of the salt over the bones and place in fridge overnight.
COOK
1. Take the meat out and toss into a large pot. Add in rice, water, and the remaining salt.
2. Bring the pot to a boil before turning down to a low simmer.
3. While that's cooking, start preparing the kidney and liver. Slice the offal super thin and cut each slice down to 2" pieces. Set in a bowl.
4. Mix together soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and oil to create the marinade.
5. Combine the marinade with the offal and let sit in refrigerator until ready to serve.
6. After about an hour and half to two hours, when the rice is broken down but the texture is still soupy rather than sludgy, take the offal from the fridge and stir into the congee.
7. Turn the heat back up and bring the congee to a boil, but be sure to turn the stove off immediately when it does boil. It's really quite awful when the offal is overcooked.
EAT
Similar to peanut congee, potential toppings are endless. I added chopped scallion, cilantro, lettuce, and youtiao as well as a boatload of white pepper and sesame oil. It tasted just like mom's and I couldn't be more pleased, even if my taste tester preferred the beef chow fun.
